JUNIOR WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM HEAD COACH 

HOCKEY FRENCH BACKGROUND

The French Hockey Federation (FFH) is opening a new chapter for French women’s hockey, building on positive momentum and the work already underway, most notably the U21 II-A European Championship title won in July 2026, which secured their qualification for the 2027 U21 World Cup.

These results highlight the progress made by this new generation and provide a solid foundation upon which the FFH now intends to build to reach the next level.

With this in mind, the FFH has begun the recruitment process for two new head coach : one for the senior French women’s national team and the other for the French U21 women’s national team.
Together, they will be tasked with driving this ambitious sporting project and guiding the squads toward upcoming international events, with a key focus on performing well at the Junior World Cup, scheduled for December 2027.

To this end, the 2027 program will, starting in February 2027, consist of a mix of:

• Training camps lasting 2 to 4 days (once a month, then more frequently from June and
September 2027 onwards)
• Joint regional training days for the "France A" and junior squads (twice a month from March to May, and again in September–October)
• friendly tournaments (Easter 2027, … .)

PERFORMANCE AMBITION

The French Hockey Federation is seeking a head coach / project manager to lead the "2027 Women’s Junior World Cup" project and prepare a highly competitive team..

THE ROLE & THE KEY RESPONSABILITIES

• Defines and proposes a preparation and performance optimization strategy for the French women’s junior national team, in coordination with the performance manager, the National Technical Director (DTN), and elected federation officials.

• Develops an effective and coherent training plan to meet established objectives and prepare for competitions, while working within the limits of available resources.

• Utilizes all available and collected data to design a high-performance training plan.

• Directs, organizes, and manages the staff assigned to the French national hockey team; coordinates a multidisciplinary group of experts to optimize team performance.

• In collaboration with the performance manager, identifies, develops, and leads the group of players who make up the athlete roster for the French women’s Junior program.

• Coaches and leads all training sessions for the French Junior Women’s team, with the goal of enhancing both individual and team performance :

> Develops the team’s technical and tactical skills, with a particular focus on attacking
play.
> Develops the specific individual skills required for each player’s position.
> Develops identified players to perform at an international level.
> Fosters understanding, confidence, cohesion, and a positive team spirit.
> Creates an environment that encourages players and staff to excel and meet the
highest international standards of execution.
> Demonstrates a human-centered management approach, incorporating the preparation and mental well-being of the athletes.

• Collaborates closely with the head coach of the senior French national team, particularly regarding athletes eligible for both squads, and with the senior national team staff to conduct joint training sessions for the senior and junior teams.

• Operates within the framework of a long-term development pathway, ensuring the necessary conditions are in place for each squad to succeed in key competitions.

• Safeguards the physical and mental well-being of the athletes and upholds the values and ethical standards of the French Hockey Federation.

• Recommends the selection of athletes for official competitions.

• With staff, coach the French national team during official competitions.

• Establishes a team identity based on core principles of play, ensuring every player understands the expectations placed upon her, while simultaneously fostering the creative capacity to adapt to opposing teams.

• Compiles and submits a comprehensive report following each major competition or preparation cycle, and participates in the subsequent debriefing.

• Maintains ongoing communication with the club coaches of the athletes in the French junior national squad.

• Communicates effectively with the staff, the federation, the players, and relevant stakeholders, while placing importance on interpersonal relationships within the French national team setup :

> Provides written reports on the technical and physical development of the players.
> Regularly provides feedback to players in the French women’s ‘A’ program.
> Works in close collaboration with the team manager to ensure continuity in planning
and communication.
> Maintains a link with the coach of the junior/U21 national team and the women’s
development pathway.

ADDITIONAL MISSIONS

• May be called upon to participate in coach training sessions, discipline-specific meetings, or other federation-organized gatherings. 

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCES

• Experience as a team coach at the national and/or international level.

• Proven track record of success in international and national-level hockey, or high potential ; must possess a growth mindset, the ability to motivate and inspire, and the capacity to develop and implement sporting strategies, systems, and processes to achieve results.

• Professional high-level coaching qualification (or equivalent, such as an FIH-recognized qualification). Must be eligible to work in France.

• Strong leadership qualities.

• In-depth knowledge of hockey strategy and training methodology at the international level.

• Ability to apply principles of coaching, sports science, medicine, and technology within a high[1]performance program.

• Experience in developing performance plans within constrained budgetary frameworks.

• Expertise in the latest coaching and video analysis systems/software (Hudl, Sportcode, Keynote, ...).

• Proficiency in training planning and programming, general and hockey-specific physical conditioning, and the use of data tools.

• Ability to work effectively within a team and unite a group.

• Adaptability.

• High level of availability, rigor, and loyalty.

• Strong interpersonal skills, with proven ability to manage players and staff.

• Ability to travel within France and internationally for extended periods.

• Speak in French and English (minimum C2 level).

THE FRENCH HOCKEY FEDERATION

• 17 000 registered members.

• 140 affiliated clubs.

• Federal governance is structured around an executive board (8 members) drawn from the steering committee (approximately 20 members). The performance strategy is steered by the Vice-President for Sport, the Performance Manager, and the National Technical Director, who are supported by various committees dedicated to performance optimization.

• The French national team staff consists of 8 individuals with multidisciplinary expertise, including an assistant coach, a goalkeeping coach, a manager, a physical and fitness coach, a video analyst, a physiotherapist, and a doctor.

• The French national hockey team utilizes two national training centers : CREPS Wattignies (near to Lille) and CREPS Chatenay-Malabry (near to Paris), which host training camps and provide specialized services for high-performance training and optimization.

CONTRACT

• Fixed-term service contract

• Remuneration based on professional experience and sporting achievements

• Contract compatible with club-based coaching work

APPLICATION PROCESS

• A detailed application letter and a comprehensive CV must be sent via email to
recrutementEDF@ffhockey.org , with the reference "Coaching EDF Junior womens”

• Application deadline: 1st January 2027.

• Candidates will be shortlisted for an interview based on the information provided. Your
application will be kept confidential.

START OF THE MISSION
1st quarter 2027

CONFIDENTIALITY

The FFH recognizes the importance of confidentiality throughout the recruitment and selection process. All applications and expressions of interest will be treated confidentially; personal data will be managed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation. Information regarding candidates will only be shared with individuals directly involved in the recruitment and selection process, or as required by law.

Furthermore, candidates are expected to exercise the highest degree of confidentiality and professional discretion regarding athletes, staff, and performance-related information